


Bleach: The New 500

by AnotherNascence



Category: Bleach
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-10
Updated: 2019-04-17
Packaged: 2019-07-28 22:19:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 14,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16250924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AnotherNascence/pseuds/AnotherNascence
Summary: The final arc of Bleach, with a few changes:Ichigo is captured by Yhwach during the first Quincy InvasionHis friends travel to the Soul Palace to train instead of himFor the first time ever, Ichigo is the one who must be rescuedI've been working on this for a long time, so I don't know how many chapters there will be exactly. But I have most of them written out already, so it's just a matter of posting them. Stay tuned, and thanks for reading.





	1. Final Coda

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo arrives too late to stop the Quincy Invasion, or save his friends...

Everything that’s happened in Bleach remains the same up until the 500th chapter. Yhwach is invading the Soul Society, Urahara’s group is fighting Quilge in Hueco Mundo, and Ichigo is trapped in the Garganta.

Listening to everyone dying and being unable to escape or communicate is agony. But what really sets Ichigo over the edge is hearing Rukia reassuring everyone that he will be there soon to stop the invasion, and to keep fighting until that time comes. 

Meanwhile, the fight in the Soul Society goes as it did originally. The difference being that when Yamamoto sets off to face Yhwach, and all the captains display their reactions, Byakuya shows one too. The conversation he later has with Ichigo instead takes place here, with him speaking aloud to himself. He wonders if Rukia and Renji are still alive, and apologizes for their fate. He talks of being rendered helpless, and the humiliation that this has brought. Without even knowing if anyone can hear him, he asks one last thing of Ichigo: Please, protect the Soul Society. His Zanpakuto falls from his hand, crumbling near a transmitter-sword that has somehow remained active. 

Ichigo, in the Jail, hears Byakuya (and seemingly Renji and Rukia) die. He thinks of all the other people who he’s stopped hearing from, both in the Soul Society and Hueco Mundo, and how there is no way to know who is still alive. He absolutely loses control, screaming as he bashes his blade against the jail, and swearing to protect everyone.

A screen appears within the Jail showing Yhwach, on his way to speak with Aizen. This is just after Kenpachi is beaten down, but before Yamamoto arrives, so it’s unclear that there are currently two of him. Yhwach tells Ichigo not to interfere. He does this not to gloat or to strike despair into him, but simply because this battle doesn’t concern him. It is a conflict between Yhwach and Yamamoto, one that began hundreds of years ago. He claims not to have a true hatred of Soul Reapers, but of their organization itself, the 13 Court Guard Squads. It would be pointless and a waste to let Ichigo become collateral damage in this fight. Therefore, he should just wait safely in the Garganta until the battle is won. The screen shuts off, leaving Ichigo alone with a single earth-shattering question: Why does that man look like Zangetsu?

Yamamoto finds Yhwach and engages in the original battle. Defeating the fake, having his Bankai stolen, and being cut down. Just as Yhwach is watching the Seireitei be demolished and planning to fall back before Zero Division arrives, Ichigo breaks through. He doesn’t join any of the battles, though he’s entirely spent on spiritual pressure anyway. He goes straight to Byakuya, panicked, and convinced that if he can just find him, he can save him, and then Rukia, and then everyone. And then he finds Byakuya’s corpse. 

Ichigo looks into his ruined form and is at a complete loss for words. He’s not Bleach-dead, with the near certainty of coming back in a few weeks. Byakuya Kuchiki is dead. Captain Kuchiki. Rukia’s brother. The man who took Ichigo’s powers from him as a substitute, who drove him to achieve Bankai, who had come to pledge total loyalty to him. Ichigo let him die. He looks around at the Soul Society, which has been leveled. He thinks of all the people he loves, whom he can no longer sense. He thinks of how every one of them died believing he was on his way and would be their savior. And he breaks. 

Worse than when he lost Rukia to the Soul Society. Worse than when he realized Aizen’s true strength. Worse even than when his friends lost their memory and his Fullbring was stolen. Ichigo falls to his knees and breaks in a way we have never seen. The confidence and intensity that has always defined him is gone as he shakes, sobs, and screams with guilt. This is the state in which Yhwach finds him. And he looks sad. Not superior or arrogant, but empathetic. Like it truly pains him to see Ichigo in this state. He kneels, and places an arm around him. Ichigo is too gone to register anything, but Yhwach holds him nonetheless.

“I never wanted you have to have see this yourself. You should have just stayed put, and waited for this battle to end. But I suppose that’s just not in your nature, is it, my son?” 

And the Quincy’s Shadow swallows them both, leaving nothing behind.


	2. Second Shooting Star

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Soul Society deals with the fallout of the Quincy's first invasion

Transportation of the injured begins as reports flood in from across the battlefield. The Soul Society suffered heavy casualties, chief among them being Captain Commander Yamamoto, as well as Captain Kuchiki. Rukia is devastated by this. Despite her injuries she is refusing surgery until she can see her brother. They are eventually forced to sedate her. Delirious, she asks an anxious Hanataro where Ichigo is. Hanataro says he still hasn’t arrived, but Rukia is positive she felt his spiritual pressure for a moment during the battle.

The remaining captains who are not either injured or tending to wounded meet to discuss the damage. Two captains are dead, a number are out of commission, and some have even lost their Bankai. There do not appear to have been any significant enemy casualties, and their method of entering the Seireitei is still unknown. To top it all, Ichigo Kurosaki appears to have vanished without a trace. When he arrived in the Seireitei, virtually all of his spiritual pressure had been used up trying to break the Jail. No one sensed Ichigo’s brief arrival. The last anyone heard, he had been captured by the enemy in the Garganta, but nothing remains of the Jail. As this discussion goes on, the same information is being relayed by Urahara to a distraught Chad and Orihime.

Chad is appalled, arguing that Ichigo can’t have just vanished, but Orihime remains silent. Chad decides they need to go to the Seireitei and do what they can to help rebuild. Urahara advises them against it; they have no idea when the Quincy will launch another attack. But Chad shuts him down. If there's even a chance Ichigo will reappear in the Soul Society, they need to be there. As they wait for Urahara to contact the Seireitei and open the Garganta, Orihime wanders towards the remains of Las Noches.

She reflects on everything that happened to her there. Ichigo gained so much power by the time he came to rescue her. He was so strong that at times he lost himself, but he always came back. Even when they went to rescue Rukia, before his Bankai or Hollowfication, he was so much stronger than her, than everyone. Nobody has power like Ichigo.

Now, no one even knows where he is.

“I never imagined that Ichigo would be the one who needed to be rescued,” she says aloud to herself. “I’m not sure what I should be doing. What if he doesn’t come back this time?”

Someone appears behind Orihime, but she’s not surprised. It’s the same person who saved them from Quilge a few hours earlier: the former Espada, Grimmjow Jaegerjaquez.

“What do you think about all this?” she asks. “What would Ichigo do if he were here?”

“Do you even have to ask?” scoffs Grimmjow. “He’s such a predictable moron. Ichigo would risk it all to play the hero. All someone's gotta do is shout ‘help’ and he comes runnin’ to save the day. But none of that matters, since he usually just ends up following your orders.”

Orihime is taken aback. “What?! I’ve never given him an order before!” 

“Please, drop the whole innocent act already,” sneers Grimmjow. “The only reason I lost back then was because Ichigo didn’t want to let his princesa down. That’s probably how he beat Ulquiorra too, right? He was losing, you came crying, and he used that fuckin’ hollow power of his to save the day.”

At this, Orihime suddenly turns her face away. Now Grimmjow is the one who looks taken aback. There’s an awkward silence as Grimmjow wonders, what did happened back then?

“If you ask me,” he finally says, “you should stop wondering what that loser would have done, and make some decisions on your own for once.”

Just then, Chad appears to say that the Soul Society responded and the Garganta has been opened. He’s surprised to find that, despite everything, Orihime looks a little less upset. As they leave, she turns around and thanks Grimmjow again for saving their lives. He says it was just payback for that Quincy bastard destroying Las Noches, but Orihime gives him a quick hug nonetheless. 

Urahara watches as they leave for the Seireitei, escorted by Soul Reapers. Grimmjow appears beside him and asks if he still wants the Medallion he took off Quilge’s body. Urahara thanks him, and states that the loss they just experienced will be the gateway to many victories.

Chad and Orihime arrive in the Soul Society and are met by Jushiro Ukitake. Chad thanks him for escorting them, and he says it was no trouble. They were actually about to request their presence when Urahara called. Orihime immediately asks to be taken to the injured, but Ukitake refuses. He claims they actually have a special assignment, and are just waiting for one more person. Ukitake tries to remain upbeat, but his expression falters when they ask about Yamamoto. He confesses that with the loss of both the Captain Commander and Ichigo, he’s not sure they’ll survive another invasion. A few minutes later, Chad and Orihime are shocked by who they see emerging from the gate: Uryu has arrived to join the fight against the Quincy.

After refusing to help when it involved saving hollows, they ask why he's here now, since they're fighting the Quincy as enemies. His answer is that they are no longer his people. The Quincy have become radical extremists who threaten the balance of all worlds. His grandfather, who always hoped to make peace with the Soul Society, would never have wanted this. He thinks back to who he was when he first met Ichigo and Rukia, and admits that there was a time when he would have considered joining Yhwach. But that time has passed, he's not that person anymore.

All three are taken to the outskirts of the Seireitei to wait with the captains for what turns out to be the Zero Squad. Despite the dire situation, the Royal Guards claim that they are not actually staying to defend the Soul Society. Things are too serious to totally abandon the Soul Palace. They will do what they can in the three hours they have before then Tenchūren is ready to depart again. This includes mass healing, weapon and armor upgrades, and rebuilding of main structures. With their help, three hours should be more than enough to put things back in order. Their main objective, however, is to assemble the “Ichigo Squad” and bring them back to the palace.

The humans are shocked, and many captains are outraged. With the Soul Society in ruins, and the enemy virtually at the gates, they are only here to collect three humans? But Ichibē claims that’s incorrect. They are also taking Renji and Rukia. So that makes three humans and two Soul Reapers! Soifon punches him.

Things get a little heated, but just as Ichibē is calming everybody down and getting ready to head out, Orihime speaks up. She’s not just going with this "Royal Guard" to the Soul Palace while Ichigo is in danger. She thought the Zero Squad was here to help find him, not take them away to sit around in a castle. 

People are kind of shocked by this, and Uryu tries to get Orihime to back down but she shrugs him off. Ichibē however is totally unfazed, and says of course finding Ichigo is their intention. But before they do that, he thought the five of them could all benefit from some training. The best training around in fact.

The way they see it, this small band of Ryoka have repeatedly done the impossible. They broke into both the Seireitei and Las Noches, defeating several Captains and Espada along the way. With their help, Ichigo was eventually able to defeat Sosuke Aizen, which not even Yamamoto was able to do. Now Ichigo is gone, quite possibly being held captive by the Quincy Leader. If anyone is going to be able to blindly infiltrate the enemy stronghold, rescue Ichigo, and make it out alive, it’ll be this group. But of course, the decision is theirs. If they’d prefer to just “sit around” in the Seireitei, that would be perfectly acceptable. 

The next few hours are spent repairing the Soul Society. Orihime’s healing skills aren’t used since they put people back the way they were, and this time they need to come back stronger. Tenjirō heals the badly wounded captains like Kenpachi, Senjumaru weaves everyone stronger shihakusho, Kirio cooks up a massive feast for all the recovering Soul Reapers, Ōetsu trains everyone who lost their Bankai in his secret sword techniques (this guy is basically Don Kanonji so it’s pretty much just dramatic poses), and Ichibē helps rebuild structures with his unusual power over creation.

Chad, Uryu, and Orihime watch all this take place from Sokyoku Hill, and discuss their options. Chad isn’t sure about these Royal Guard people, since they are so eccentric. Uryu is awed by their power but feels similarly, and asks where Urahara is. Couldn’t he train them again? Chad explains that Urahara remained in Hueco Mundo to do some research. And after all, he’s pretty eccentric too...

Orihime is lost in thought. Will it even do her any good to train? She's trained in the past just like everyone else. They’ve been on so many journeys together and yet, while everyone else’s strength soared, hers always seemed to remain the same. She’s so tired of this feeling. How many times had she wanted to grow? To stop being a burden? To be powerful like everyone else, like Ichigo, so that… maybe he’d… 

Suddenly her conversation with Grimmjow comes to mind: make some decisions on your own for once.

She stands up, startling the other two, and announces that she is going. She doesn’t care who these people are or where they are taking her. If they can make her stronger, then she’s going with them. Uryu and Chad are surprised at first, but then smile. The three of them are going to the Soul Palace together.

They all meet up at Kukaku’s house, where they need to launch from to get to the Soul Palace. Kukaku is kickass as usual, yelling at them all and beating up Ganju. Yoruichi is there too, acting as their personal guard and liaison for the journey. She has a direct line to Urahara and the Soul Society, and she knows better than to fully trust the Zero Squad with “her students”. There’s a nostalgic moment where they look back at the last time they were all blasting off from Kukaku’s place, except that time, Ichigo was with them. As they get ready to leave, we see some flashes of what’s going on in the rest of the world. The captains are getting organized, the squads are training with their new gear, and those who lost their Bankai are finding new resolve. Urahara is with Grimmjow and Nel’s group in Hueco Mundo, working on a whole host of spirit-tech. 

The rest of the Karakura crew is in the human world talking animatedly about what their spirit-power friends are up to. It ends with Tatsuki looking up at the sky, thinking of Orihime, and then Orihime in the next scene mirroring her. She recalls an old memory, just after Rukia is taken by the Soul Society and everyone's lost their memories of her. 

Ichigo and Orihime have a talk at the bottom of the stairs, and she encourages him to go after Rukia. After he runs off and Orihime tells him to be careful, it kind of pans away and we hear her saying "No. This time, I’ll make sure you don’t get hurt." 

Orihime smiles at this memory and there's this real sense of how far she’s come since then. She will get stronger, in her own way. It doesn’t matter how far away Ichigo is or how hard it will be to get there. This time, they are coming to save him.

The scene ends with a clearly defeated Ichigo, laying on a bed in an empty room.


	3. Born in the Dark

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichigo meets with the enemy leader

The room has no visible windows or doors. The walls are blank and pure white. The only object is the bed in which Ichigo is recovering. With no way to leave, it’s unclear whether he is a prisoner or a patient. But even if there were somewhere to go, Ichigo wouldn’t have moved. All he can do is replay that battlefield over and over in his head. The Seireitei destroyed, his friends lost, Byakuya massacred. He couldn’t sense Renji or Rukia. He doesn’t know what happened to Chad or Orihime. He doesn’t even really know what’s happened to him. 

Ichigo starts to wonder whether he’s in a hospital in the human world when an unseen door opens. Thinking it’s perhaps his family coming to see him, he feels a small wave of relief. But it’s Yhwach standing in the doorway, looking at Ichigo with such genuine concern that he’s caught off guard. 

“How are you feeling?” Yhwach asks Ichigo, but gets no response. He doesn’t seem to have expected one. “I understand. It will be some time before you truly recover.”

Yhwach enters the room, closing the door behind him. “Your entire reiatsu network is shot,” he explains. “You burned through every ounce of spiritual energy you had breaking into the Soul Society, awakening powers you shouldn't even have. At the moment, your soul nearly resembles that of an ordinary spirit.”

Ichigo listens, but the words sound like they are coming from far away. Something’s wrong here, but he’s having trouble focusing. It’s much easier to just let this man keep talking without trying to figure things out.

“Your soul might have collapsed completely if we hadn’t intervened. Your Zanpakuto is in a similar state, though I have my best people working on it. They have faith that it can be returned to a workable condition. The same cannot be said for you. If it were anyone else, they wouldn’t expect you to recover your powers. But I know better than to bet against you, Ichigo. Your soul is unique, able to be dyed any color without changing its original essence. That’s probably how you escaped Quilge’s Jail in the first place.”

This snaps Ichigo back into reality. Rages breaks over him as he lunges from the bed towards Yhwach. But he’s weak, and falls to the ground after just a few steps. Yhwach makes to help him up, but Ichigo shoves his arm away. 

“I don’t know who you are,” he gasps, his breaths sharp and painful, “but it doesn’t matter. You’re the one who just destroyed the Soul Society. You left me stranded in the Garganta, listening to my friends die. And now what, you’re taking care of me?"

"I am trying to have a conversation with you," begins Yhwach, but Ichigo just laughs derisively. 

"How dumb do you think I am?! I know this is all an act! If you think I'm just going to sit and talk with the man who slaughtered all my-"

Ichigo’s shouting now, but his voice breaks on these last words. Suddenly it’s all he can do to keep from sobbing again. Yhwach waits patiently, letting Ichigo calm down. When finally does respond, however, his words come as a surprise.

“You’re right to feel that way,” he says. “I know what you’ve been through. Your whole life has been one of manipulation. That’s one of the reasons why I’ve brought you here, to this room. It’s composition has an unusual effect on the soul, exposing it in a way that makes it ideal for healing. One of the unique properties of the room is that while in it, it’s impossible to deceive another. Rather than experiencing the usual physical responses to lying, this room makes deceit excruciating. It is the only place in the world where shadows are entirely erased, leaving only truth.”

As a demonstration, he introduces himself to Ichigo properly: Yhwach, leader of the Quincy. He states that they are currently in Silbern, the Wandenreich headquarters. He explains the complexities of his name, and that the original word has no pronunciation. It was given to him as a sign of respect by his followers, as recognition of his right to ascend the throne of the Soul King. 

Ichigo doesn’t say it, but this speech seems to somehow resonate with honesty. He compares the feeling to that of crossing swords with an opponent; that brief moment where you sense their true intent, but sustained. 

“This room is a gift to you,” Yhwach continues. “You may ask as many questions as you like, with the certainty of an honest answer. But first, please, would you return to your bed? You need rest, and in any case, I would not hold this discussion with you on the floor.” 

Ichigo returns to the bed, but remains sitting on the edge. He’s not about to lie down in front of this man. Yhwach reaches out a hand and materializes a chair, made of the same substance as the walls. Together they sit, equals in this conversation.

“Why me?” he asks. “I’m a Soul Reaper, why would the Quincy leader do all this for his mortal enemy?” 

“I do not see as my enemy,” replies Yhwach, “but rather, as a son. I feels a degree of kinship towards all human souls, not just the Quincy. Despite all else, I still sees you as human. You’re a victim in all this, born in darkness and raised on lies. Sometimes for your own benefit, but usually for that of others. Never given the full truth. It’s not your fault, that’s just how the Soul Society operates. They watch from on high as humans attempt to blindly navigate the system they’re thrust into. They keep the whole world ignorant, all for the supposed greater good. Even you, after all you’ve done, are no exception. Kisuke Urahara, Sosuke Aizen, Jushiro Ukitake, Kugo Ginjo. Even your own family has played a part in your deception. My entire cause has been about opposing this system.”

“If you want me to trust you,” growls Ichigo, “you should know better than to insult my family.” 

It's all he can do not to lose control again. He’s already lost everyone in the Soul Society, and now their memory is being sullied by these accusations. Worse, he can’t even defend them because of the room’s power. He knows the betrayals of these people to be true.

“Yet, was there was ever really trust within your family?” asks Yhwach calmly. “Not enough to tell you about Soul Reapers, certainly. Even after you had become one. What about after your father regained his powers, and you lost yours? Did he give you answers then? Or did he keep you in the dark, for your own sake, because it was easier?”

Yhwach’s voice carries no malice, but his words crash over Ichigo like physical blows.

“Does he really love and protect you, the way you do for others? Look at how hard you fought to escape that Jail. You destroyed your body trying to get to your friends in time. Yet what happened when the Soul Society arrested Rukia Kuchiki? Or when Aizen moved to abduct Orihime Inoue? Isshin Kurosaki didn’t lift a finger. Did he ever even tell you the truth about how your mother died?”

“SHUT UP!!” shouts Ichigo. His body is shaking with rage, but these words are all he can muster against the power of the room. 

He hates Yhwach for talking this way about his family. But he hates himself more for believing him, for not being able to defend his own father. And deep down, he feels something else. For all the pain they bring, Yhwach’s words very slightly lighten the load on Ichigo’s heart. After all, he does harbor some resentment towards his father. 

The reason Ichigo never asked him more about being a Soul Reaper was that he was waiting for him to say it himself. But the longer he waited for his dad, the easier it all became to ignore. Eventually their lives returned to normal, as if the fight with Aizen had never happened.

Ichigo doesn’t admit any of this aloud. But Yhwach guesses as much, and they sit in silence for a long while.

“I still don’t really see a difference between you and Aizen,” Ichigo says eventually. “You both seem like monsters, acting all civil after committing a massacre like that. Revealing secrets when you know they’ll cause the most damage. You’re no better than any of the bastards that’ve come before you.”

“I know,” sighs Yhwach, who again surprises Ichigo by agreeing with him. “But you’ve got to know the truth. This pain comes from lies and illusions, and part of you feels better now that you’ve been released from them. Tell me I’m wrong.” 

Ichigo can’t.

“Just get on with it then,” he grumbles reluctantly. “Say what you came here to tell me already, and get out.”

“No, Ichigo,” he says. “There are too many lies that must be undone. It must be undertaken a step at a time. Instead, let us return to the start of our talk. Look inside yourself, and find what you need answered most in this moment.”

Ichigo considers this. First there’s his father, and all the secrets he kept hidden. Then there’s the Soul Society and all the times they’ve screwed him over. Not to mention Urahara, and how easy it was for him to lie, always for the sake of the mission. How many people have treated him like that? Does he even want to know? Who else is Ichigo ready to lose?

Finally he looks into Yhwach’s face. A face he knows all too well. And suddenly, already feeling a pang of loss, he has a question.

“Why do you look like Zangetsu?”


	4. Start of Lessons

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Uryu, Chad, and Orihime begin their training at the Soul Palace

With a loud crash, the Tenchuren arrives at the Soul Palace. 

Uryu, Chad, and Orihime all marvel at their surroundings. They stand on Vestibule Road, the main entrance into the palace. From there they can see the five domains of Squad Zero, each of which appears to be the size of a small city. In the center of these massive floating discs is the Soul King’s domain, which is cylindrical and towers high above the rest of the realm.

“So this is the Soul Palace…” says Chad.

“Yup!” chuckles Ichibe. “You should revel in the simple fact that you’re here! Most Soul Reapers never grace these hallowed halls. And here you are, three average humans, standing at the entrance!”

“Wow…” murmurs Orihime, taking in the impressive view before them. “Aizen tried to move heaven and earth to get here…”

“Wait!” Uryu suddenly shouts. “We shouldn’t have been able to get here without the Oken, right? When did you use such a device?” In answer, Ichibe thrusts out his arm.

“It’s right here!” He laughs, flexing his muscles. “The Oken is a power given to those chosen to become part of Squad Zero, which manifests itself within us. It’s literally in our bones. There are only two ways to get into the Soul Palace. Normally you’d need permission, which means we have to bring you with us physically. Or, as Aizen attempted to do, you can create an Oken life-form artificially.”

“Basically, he tried to turn himself into one of us,” adds Kirio. “Reforging souls, assassinating the king, and taking the throne for himself. Sosuke Aizen is without a doubt the personification of evil.”

“However,” Senjumaru says, with a grave tone in her voice. “Yhwach, and the Quincy who follow him, are far more malevolent and depraved than Aizen ever was. Rescuing Ichigo Kurosaki will mean facing enemies beyond your comprehension. Never forget that.”

The three humans stare out at the Soul Palace, letting the impact of these words wash over them. They’ll be going up against a man who would challenge God himself.

“Well, see ya,” says Ichibe, as he and the others walk away.

“W-what?!” stammers Uryu, “Where are you going?”

“Back home!” chirps Kirio. “We used up quite a bit of energy fixing up the Soul Society, and I’m beat. Time to relax for a while.”

“But what about our training!” shouts Chad.

“Training?” replies Ichibe with an eyebrow raised. “Good lord, you aren’t ready for our training yet.”

“You’d die,” says Oetsu.

“Instantly,” adds Senjumaru.

“Then what are we even doing here if you aren’t going to teach us how to fight?” asks Orihime sharply.

“Have some patience, girl,” sneers Tenjiro. “You’ll get some sparring time in soon. But first we gotta prepare. Our training is designed for Soul Reapers, and none of you even fight with swords. For now, you’re coming with me.”

They are brought to Tenjiro’s domain where they experience his advanced reiatsu manipulation tools: the Hell Ponds. 

The White Bone Hell and Blood Pond Hell treatments are exceptionally effective on Renji and Rukia. However, they would probably kill humans. Also, the focus of these two ponds is on healing injuries, and the humans aren’t actually hurt. Instead they’ll be using the Cooking Pot Hell, which leeches their reiatsu and uses it to nourish and develop the body. It drains you of spirit energy completely, but acts like a year's worth of workouts in one spa treatment. It’s exhausting, but necessary if they’re going to keep pace with the Soul Palace training. 

Chad and Uryu are a little intimidated at how extreme Tenjiro acts, and wishing they could have gone with the girls. Yoruichi joins Orihime in the ladies Cooking Pot and talks about how Ichigo used a version of this pool during his Bankai training. Though she was feeling a little foolish for just taking a bath, Orihime is now inspired that this was part of Ichigo’s training too. 

The humans finish their treatments before the Soul Reapers are done with their first round. Reluctantly, they leave Renji and Rukia behind before they even regain consciousness, advancing to Kirio’s domain.

After dealing with Tenjiro for so long, they find Kirio’s behavior comforting. Uryu and Chad are taken by her kindness and beauty, while Orihime is blown away by her delicious cooking. As they eat they notice the reiatsu flooding into their bodies is richer and stronger than it was before. Even Uryu, who as a Quincy does not generate spirit energy, can tell how finely tuned his reishi senses have become. Orihime barely registers any of this as she devours everything at the table. Chad however looks rather conflicted.

“Is it really ok for us to be doing this?” he asks. “Everyone in the Soul Society is training for the next battle, and yet here was are, not a care in the world, treating our time with Squad Zero like a vacation. We aren’t even injured, so why are we getting all this special treatment?”

“I know what you mean…” says Uryu. “It feels kind of wrong to be enjoying all this while so many people died in the Soul Society. But remember what they said when we got here? That they’d need to prepare for our training? I think that’s what this is.”

“Spot on!” cheers Kirio as she returns with the next course. “What we’re doing here is the natural progression of any training regimen, with the exception of this being done on the Soul King’s scale. First you went with Tenjiro to enhance your strength and stamina, and now you’re here to enhance your spiritual pressure.”

“So…” Uryu says slowly, “next we’ll likely be enhancing either our weapons or abilities?”

“Right again, pumpkin!” Kirio responds, slapping him on the back so hard he face-plants into the tray of desserts.

“Ah, Uryu!” shouts Orihime in alarm, “Be careful, you just ruined the cake I was saving for last!” 

They get into a brief argument, Uryu is covered in frosting, before Kirio can get their attention again.

“Be on guard for the next palace,” she says, suddenly sounding serious. “Our way of doing things encompasses the complete history of the Soul Society. All the members of the Zero Squad were people who once created something extraordinary. We came to be acknowledged by the Soul King as people who played a significant role in shaping that history. Tenjiro’s techniques are what allow Soul Reapers to live for millennia, and revolutionized the way we view souls and spiritual pressure. My contribution was the artificial soul, and the means of inserting it into a body.”

This shocks the three humans, as they are all very familiar with the concept of artificial souls. The woman standing before them is the reason Kon exists.

“Before I came along,” continues Kirio, “the thought of making an artificial soul was a fantasy. I built upon this idea and created the Gikongan, the artificial soul pill. The food you’ve just eaten was made according to the core theory behind the artificial soul. Right now, your bodies are brimming with reiatsu on a level you’ve never fathomed. And thanks to Tenjiro, your bodies are strong enough to withstand it.”

“That’s… that’s incredible,” says Chad. “But if all you’re doing is making us stronger, then why do we need to be careful about our next phase of training?”

“Because,” answers Kirio, “you never know what could happen there. Your next stop is the Palace of Nimaiya Ouetsu. He is the man who invented the Zanpakuto.”

Back at the Central 46 Compound, decisions are being made that will affect the fate of the Soul Society. After the loss of Yamamoto, Shunsui Kyoraku has been named the new Captain Commander of the 13 Court Guard Squads. His first order is to resume the training of Kenpachi Zaraki by Yachiru Unohana, the first "Kenpachi".

Oetsu is just as flashy as he was with Ichigo, pranking Chad and Uryu while trying to impress Orihime. Eventually they get taken out back to his training grounds where he explains how he invented the Zanpakuto. Normally it’s simple for him to examine a Soul Reaper’s sword and find out how it can best be reforged. But these three have such unique abilities, so different from what he normally works with, that they’ll need to take a new approach. 

The prospect excites him because, while he knows about every single Zanpakuto out there, he has no idea what to expect from these humans. Oetsu shows them the Asauchi dungeon, briefly explaining what the creatures are before kicking the three of them in. Simply put, he wants to see them fight. That way he’ll get to observe their abilities first-hand as well as how his inventions will react to them. 

As the battle begins, he momentarily reflects on what a revolutionary moment this is. Humans being trained in the Soul Palace. The chance to reforge two unique Fullbring and even a Quincy bow. Ordinarily, he wouldn’t miss this for the world. But part of him regrets that there’s an equally intriguing battle he’s missing, between the two most deadly Zanpakuto in history.

Meanwhile, on the lowest floor of the Central Underground Prison, Muken, Kenpachi and Unohana face off.


	5. True Battle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Unohana shows Kenpachi what it means to fight with a Zanpakuto

The battle takes place as it originally did, with Kenpachi repeatedly blacking out from fatal wounds, and Unohana healing them instantly. Each time he’s revived, Kenpachi regains more of the savage fighting spirit he had when they first met. Unohana’s goal is not to survive this fight, but to continually attempt to awaken this side of him until he is once again stronger than she is. This process takes countless hours, but he does eventually get strong enough to land a blow on her. Unohana remarks with satisfaction that they are finally making some progress, and releases her Shikai.

“That’s a surprise,” says Kenpachi. Her sword has hardly changed at all. The only difference is that the blade is now a menacing crimson color. “I thought your Zanpakuto was that giant green bug.”

“That is not my Shikai,” replies Unohana. “I have not used my Shikai in battle in centuries. My Zanpakuto hungers for battle just as much as I do, relishing in every wound it creates. When released, it imbues the strength of each one of those strikes, hardening the blood into a indestructible weapon. It is the only thing that can match the most lethal force in the Soul Society.”

Kenpachi smirks. “What, you mean my sword?”

“No,” she responds, a wild look entering her eyes. “I mean my bloodlust.”

The pace of the battle changes dramatically. Unohana’s thirst for battle is almost tangible. Every strike she makes destroys more of the arena. But Kenpachi isn’t the same either, having been revived so many times already. He’s landing more blows on Unohana this time around, and his blackouts are fewer and farther between. They at last seem to be an even match.

Eventually, Kenpachi wounds Unohana so severely that she must stop to heal herself. She has not had to do this once since the battle began. Pleased with his accomplishment, he's still somewhat annoyed that she's stopped fighting. 

“You still haven’t explained what that giant green bug is. Couldn't you just summon him to heal ya up instead of wasting time with that Kido bullshit.”

Though she was looking satisfied a moment ago, a scowl now crosses Unohana’s face.

“Do you still not understand Zanpakuto to such a degree? That is the externalized spirit of Minazuki, the physical form of my Zanpakuto. It is a fundamental skill all Captains are capable of performing.”

“Yeah yeah,” scoffs Kenpachi. “And I’m the only captain in history who can’t do it. I’ve heard all this before, ya know.”

“It’s not that you aren’t capable…” responds Unohana. “It’s that you lack an understanding. You see Zanpakuto releases as being on the same level as Kido. A flashy trick to make weak opponents seem stronger. You are wrong.”

Unohana finishes healing her wound, and holds her blade out before her.

“A Zanpakuto is a reflection of yourself. To perform Shikai requires a deep understanding of who you are, and what you desire. Bankai is the manifestation of that self. Going into battle wielding everything that you are… there is no greater ecstasy. Allow me to demonstrate.”

She holds Minazuki horizontally, the curve of the blade facing down. As she does, the kanji for the name of her Zanpakuto appear on the sword written in black. They translate to ‘Gorge on Drops of Fresh’.

“Bankai: Minazuki” 

The kanji suddenly change. They’re still pronounced Minazuki, but they translate to “End of All Things”.

A moment later, blood explodes from the sword like a massive tidal wave. Before Kenpachi can react, it’s surrounded them. Covering every surface in red, there's even a thin layer of blood-mist in the air. Spreading out as wide as he can see, the entire arena is now the same crimson as Minazuki. But the blade itself is no longer red. As the blood drips from it’s surface, the blade is revealed to be a shortened katana of seemingly ordinary metal.

“While our Shikai holds the strength of every wound we’ve inflicted,” says Unohana, “our Bankai contains the screams of every life we’ve taken. In this arena, you’ll feel the terror, rage, pain, and joy of all our battles at once. Words no longer matter. Now, experience the force of our will!”

The battle reaches a pitch unmatched by anything seen thus far. Both combatants strike with power that could kill in a single hit, yet neither can land a blow. As they fight, Kenpachi feels as if he’s melting away. It’s an indescribable feeling. It’s as if he’s been asleep all his life. He realizes that all this time, he’s been wrong about Zanpakuto. This is true battle.

And then one of his attacks finally strikes her.

Kenpachi is stunned. In a single instant, it’s over. He knows it is because even as Unohana falls he can feel the bloodlust of her Bankai fading away. He drops his own sword to catch her, looking desperately into her face for some sign of life. He can’t lose his greatest opponent, not now when he’s learned what battle can really be.

Unohana gazes at him from half closed eyes, and feels satisfied in what she’s accomplished. With the loss of Captain Commander Yamamoto, she has only two things in this world that matter to her. Squad 4, which she can safely entrust to Isane. And the title of Kenpachi, which can now finally be passed on to Captain Zaraki. With that knowledge, she finds peace at last.

Her eyes close, Minazuki drops from her hand, and Kenpachi’s world shatters. This can’t be the end. How is he supposed to go on like this, without someone like her.

"I don't want this," he shouts. "I don't want this to be the end, I don't want to be alone again!"

"But... you've never been alone."

The voice comes from no where, yet it's as clear as if someone where standing right behind him.

"Who said that?!" demands Kenpachi. "Who the fuck is there!"

"So, you can finally hear my voice. I'm the one who has been be your side, from the very beginning."

He turns shapely to see his Zanpakuto, the blade still stuck in the ground where he dropped it. It's as if the voice is coming... from there.

"It's nice to finally meet you like this, Kenpachi Zaraki... my name is..."

\---

"Wow, 71 hours... and 48 minutes..."

Oetsu looks from his watch back into the dungeon, where Orihime, Chad, and Uryu are still fighting.

"Just about 3 days straight... you humans really are something. I'm scared to see what you'll be capable of once we get some real trainin' in ya!


	6. Keep Moving Forward

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everyone reflects on what they've learned as the first round of training concludes

The dungeon in Oetsu’s Palace is filled the manifestations of blank Zanpakuto, which are known as Asauchi. Left alone, they take a white humanoid form. But the moment they encounter another person’s soul, they begin to change. Zanpakuto are designed to be reflections of their owners, though that can mean many things. The Asauchi crave bonds with a real individual because that is the only way they can forge their own identity. 

Battling in Oetsu’s dungeon means fighting an insatiable hoard of enemes that are constantly learning and adapting. Before long they will know more about you than you do yourself. The only countermeasure for this is to have a powerful understanding of yourself. This way you will know what strengths and weaknesses the Asauchi will possess. The longest a Soul Reaper can last in this arena is around 48 hours.

Uryu, Chad, and Orihime have just completed their third day.

A huge wave of Asauchi swarm the group of humans. Some wield strange and deadly weapons, others simply take the form of beasts. All of them have the same crazed expression on their eyeless faces. And all of them are forced back by a blinding golden light. Once again, they were stopped by the massive five-sided pyramid that surrounds their prey. A few cracks have appeared on its surface, but they are quickly repaired by Orihime.

“That’s good enough,” says Chad. He begins to stand, though he’s clearly exhausted. “You can lower the shield now.”

“Not a chance,” she says, not even bothering to look back.

“Orihime,” says Uryu, who looks equally tired. “You can’t keep this up forever.”

“I’m fine guys,” she responds, checking the barrier for more damage. Every now and then an Asauchi attacks, but they just bounce off the walls without leaving a scratch. “Really, just focus on yourselves. We might have to fight again any second.”

“But this isn’t sustainable,” insists Uryu. “You can’t keep those monsters back and heal us at the same time, that’s using up too much energy.”

“I’m not doing both at the same time,” Orihime insists. “There are essentially two barriers up. Right now, I’m focusing on the inner shield to restore your spiritual pressure. Then during a big attack wave, I can switch to the outer shield.”

“It still sounds difficult, reflecting all those attacks at once,” says Chad.

“I’m mostly redirecting, rather than block them outright. That way just hurt each other, and the barrier will hold up for longer. I can even be heal your physical injuries during attacks, since that’s always been easier for me.”

Uryu is impressed. “That’s amazing, I had no idea your barriers could be so efficient.”

“Neither did I,” says Chad. “When did you come up with a technique like this?”

Orihime smiles brightly back at them. She looks just as tired as the others, but there’s a fire in her eyes.

“I’ve had the idea for a while, I just wasn’t sure how to execute it. I wanted a move that combined all my powers into one technique. But I couldn’t figure out how to do it. Maybe it took coming to a place like this to put it all together… Rikuten Kyoshun - The Six Sacred Resonance Shield.”

Another wave of enemies approaches, but they are ready. Orihime finally lowers the barrier as Chad and Uryu launch into battle.

Before the two sides meet, Oetsu come crashing down in between them.

“I think that’s enough for now, kids.”

\---

Back on the surface, the group gathers around a picnic blanket piled high with more of Kirio’s cooking. Uryu and Chad are clearly starving, but seem a little wary of how ravenously Orihime devours her meal.

“Her mouth is moving so fast it looks blurred,“ mutters Chad, somewhat in horror.

“Maybe we should wait to hear what Oetsu has to say first?” says Uryu cautiously.

She shows absolutely no response, nearly leaping onto a pile of cooked meats. 

“Nah, let her be,” laughs Oetsu. “Y’all can eat and listen at the same time right? You’re gonna need the energy soon anyway. You were fighting down there for quite a while without rest, I’m surprised you haven’t keeled over already.”

The two boys look at each other, then shrug and help themselves. Once they taste the food it becomes hard not to attack it like Orihime.

“It’s strange that we haven’t had to eat before now,” says Uryu. “We must have been down there at least a whole day.”

“Try three days,” corrects Oetsu. Uryu chokes on his next bite.

“That’s impossible!” He shouts after Chad slaps him on the back. “Forget eating, we didn’t even sleep! How can we have lasted that long?”

“That’s the Soul Palace for ya!” shouts Oetsu happily. “Our training ain’t like no other! After those healing baths and reiatsu meals, you could’a lasted a whole week without eating if you’d felt like it. Course, you’re bodies can’t take that kinda punishment permanently. But it did help speed along our lil experiment here.”

“Experiment?” asks Chad. “I thought you said this was a training ground.”

“Well, it usually is,” replies Oetsu. “The purpose of this dungeon is to test the strength of your soul against the Zanpakuto. As they fight Soul Reapers, they take on more of their personality. The only way to last more than a few hours is to pay attention to these changes and how they reflect yourself. This helps the Soul Reaper learn the skills needed to perform Bankai, or else perfect the release they’ve already achieved.”

“That sounds similar to the Bankai training Ichigo undertook,” says Uryu. “He used a device that forced his Zanpakuto spirit to manifest, and then fought until he learned to do it himself.”

“Spot on, kid!” exclaims Oetsu. “Kisuke Urahara is a man who’s true passion lies in research and analysis. Before joining the Royal Guard, all of us here were once normal Soul Reapers living in the Soul Society. As such, much of our research still remains in the Court Guard archives. Many of Urahara’s achievements were inspired by the work we left behind.”

“Then why have us fight in that arena?” asks Chad. “We don’t even have Zanpakuto.”

“Exactly! That’s why I called this an experiment! I rarely train more than one person at once, and I’ve never thrown someone in that dungeon who wasn’t a Soul Reaper. Did you see what that did to the Asauchi?! They had no idea what to do! I’ve never seen them take so many different forms. Part of that is obviously that you’re human, plus they didn’t know who to focus on. But honestly, I think a large part of it had to do with your personalities.”

“You mean because we’re all such different people?” asks Uryu.

“No,” says Oetsu flatly. “Because you’re all so fuckin' terrible.”

A stunned silence follows these words, aside from Orihime who is swallowing croquettes whole.

“Well it’s true! The Asauchi were all over the place because that's how you guys operate.” 

Oetsu points an accusatory finger at each of them in turn.

“Chad, you kept rushing in head first with no plan. Brute force only gets you so far in a fight with such a versatile enemy. Uryu, you’re a natural tactician and were quick to adapt, but you lack the power to back it up when forced into a corner. Orihime, the reflective nature of your abilities makes up for their lack of power. But right from the start you showed an utter lack of conviction. Someone like that shouldn’t be anywhere near the battlefield.”

Orihime looks teary-eyed as she inhales udon like a vacuum.

“Hang on,” interrupts Uryu, looking irritated. “You said most inexperienced Soul Reapers don’t make it more than a few hours in that arena. If we’re so unfit for battle, how did we last so long?”

“A fair point,” replies Oetsu. “You certainly lasted longer than I expected. The truth is, the longest anyone’s ever made it down there, captain or otherwise, is just over 48 hours. But at some point, you guys did something that no single Soul Reaper could have done. Any guesses?”

“We started to work together... ” says Chad.

“Exactly!” cheers Oetsu. “You guys stopped roughing it solo, and started working as a team. Uryu, you focused on strategies that highlighted their abilities. Chad, you started using your powers defensively and covered everyone's blind spots. And Orihime finally went on the offensive, which lighten the burden placed on you two significantly.”

He grabs a nearby dessert tray and hands it to Orihime. “I was particularly impressed by that technique you used near the end. With something like that, you could have kept the team going indefinitely. You’ve got some serious potential, kid.”

Orihime takes the tray but doesn’t touch the cakes. She’s on the verge of crying again, this time with tears of joy.

“Thank you, Mr. Nimaiya,” she says softly.

“Hey don’t go gettin’ all emotional just yet,” Oetsu laughs. “We’ve only just started! The five of ya got a lot of work to do.”

Orihime’s expression clears as she wipes away her tears. He’s right, this is just the beginning. Then she realizes what he said. Five of them?

But Oetsu isn’t looking at them. They follow his gaze and see Rukia and Renji walking up the hill towards them, closely followed by Yoruichi. The three humans cry out in astonishment and rush to greet their friends. As they begin exchanging stories of their time apart in the Soul Palace, Oetsu stands up, taking off his glasses and tying back his hair.

“Welp, looks like my fun's over. Time to really get to work.”

\---

In a remote area of the Seireitei, Captain Commander Kyoraku sits drinking a cup of tea. It's an ordinary bench in a quiet tea garden, but he appreciates anywhere he can find a moment of peace.

“I had no idea your job was so tough, old man,” he aloud says to himself. “It’s only been a few days and I’m already exhausted. How come you never told us how bad it was being in charge?”

“Well, Yamamoto was never one to complain.”

Kyoraku turns to see Ukitake walking towards him. His tone is pleasant, but at the sight of him Kyoraku’s expression turns dark.

“How did she take it?” he asks without preamble. Ukitake sighs.

“She wasn’t thrilled. But Isane knows why she did it, and respects her choice. She told me to let you know she’s ready to lead Squad 4 until further notice.”

Kyoraku nods, but doesn’t respond. Ukitake pours himself a cup of tea and joins his friend on the bench. For a time they simply sit together in the garden, watching the birds flit across the pond. Then Kyoraku breaks the silence.

“I’m sure she hates me as much as you do right now.”

Ukitake looks taken aback. “Why on earth would you think that?”

“We only just lost old man Yama,” he says bitterly. “And now I’ve taken away Unohana as well. It’s just us now.”

A sad smile crosses Ukitake’s face, and he reaches over to pour them both more tea.

“It was her choice to restore Kenpachi, she knew the risks. But she also knew it had to be done. This is war, sacrifices have to be made. There isn't time to regret our choices anymore. We have to keep moving forward. I think Yamamoto would be proud of the resolve you’ve shown.”

Kyoraku doesn’t respond, but his expression seems to clear very slightly.

“Plus, I can’t imagine Unohana was disappointed by the task,” says Ukitake cheerily. “It’s been centuries since she’s been able to fight like that. I bet she was happy being able to use her Bankai in battle once more.”

At this, Kyoraku actually laughs.

“Maybe, but she had a hell of a technique. I don’t think I’ll be quite as happy when that day comes for me.”

Ukitake returns his gaze to the pond again, thinking of what’s to come. As the sun sets, it becomes clear that his shadow stretches out much farther than Kyoraku’s, and appears far more menacing. 

“No, I don’t think I will either.”


	7. The Wolf's Bane

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Captains who lost their Bankai must find a new method of fighting

“Focus your stance! You won’t cut down any Quincies with that posture!”

The members of Squad 10 tense as their formidable instructor shouts orders. He paces up and down the rows of men, smacking hard those slacking in their form.

“Don’t let this new gear go to your heads. Just because the Royal Guard crafted us all stronger Shihakusho doesn’t mean you have a hope against the enemy. If you want to survive this war, you’ll have to harden you spirits as well as your bodies! Understood?”

“Yes sir!” the squad members obediently chant back, but there’s something lackluster about the response. It’s clear that their wills are still shaken from the recent invasion.

“Even with this new armor,” says one Soul Reaper, “are we really going to stand a chance? All the training in the world can’t save us from the Quincy. Our squad is proof of that.”

“You mean the Captain?” asks his friend, who looks similarly morose. “He’s supposed to be the strongest among us, and even he was no match for the Quincy. If even his powers were useless, then how are we supposed to...”

“What was that!?”

Both Soul Reapers jump in fear. They had not noticed their instructor walking up behind them.

“You dare say such things about your own leader? After the loss he’s suffered?? You should be ashamed of yourselves! Why if the Captain were here right now he--”

“He’d agree with you.”

They all turn in surprise to see Captain Hitsugaya himself walking into the room. He strolls right up to the two Soul Reapers who were talking about him. Both immediately bow in shame, ready to accept whatever punishment he sees fit.

“Would you mind stepping aside for me?”

Confused, the Soul Reapers look blankly at each other, then move quickly to make room for their Captain between them.

“You’re quite right about my performance in this war. I’ve indeed been useless. I couldn’t do a thing to stop the enemy, and that resulted in heavy casualties. As your leader, I’m the one who should be ashamed. I need to do better.”

No one says a word as, to their astonishment, Captain Hitsugaya pulls a training sword from his belt.

“If it’s not a problem, I’d like to join your daily training regimen. Now that my Bankai has been stolen, I’ll have to rely on my skills as a swordsman. I wish to start from the ground up and build a solid foundation.”

No one says a word, not even the instructor. Toshiro sighs and gestures towards him.

“Please, as you were.”

“...Alright, you heard your Captain!” shouts the instructor. “Return to your first stance!”

“SIr, yes sir!” roars the group, this time with passion. The appearance of their unbroken captain has renewed their fighting spirit.

 _After my fight with Aizen,_ thinks Toshiro, _I put all my blood, sweat, and tears into building my Bankai. But now that it’s been stolen…_

\---

High in the mountains on outskirts of the Rukongai, a worn out Soifon does push ups with one hand. She’s held down by powerful weights, but pushes through as if they were nothing.

_I don’t have time to fixate on something that won’t be returning anytime soon. I must use this loss as an opportunity, to hone the rest of my skills as I would my Zanpakuto._

\---

Deep in an unknown region, Komamura walks through a forest with grim determination.

_This war will be all or nothing. Press forward, with no regrets._

“Captain,” asks a weary Tetsuzaemon who is struggling to keep pace. “I’m honored to help with whatever this secret training is, but we’ve been walking since yesterday. Why do we need to do this so far from the Seireitei?”

Komamura slows his stride so his lieutenant can catch up.

“It isn’t the training that’s far away,” he answers, “but the instructor. And I didn’t bring you along to participate. You’re here in case I end up incapacitated, and need assistance returning. You may train however you like in the meantime. Do you find that acceptable?”

“Of course, Captain. You need not even ask. And if this is truly a subject you cannot speak to me about, I’ll understand. But I don’t even know where we are going. If I’m to be any help to you, I’d rather be somewhat prepared.”

Komamura falls silent again, seemingly lost in thought. His lieutenant does not press the issue, and returns to following his Captain in silence.

“Tell me, what do you know of the realm called Hell?” Komamura asks abruptly.

Tetsuzaemon is startled by the question, but answers promptly.

“It is a secondary dimension attached to the Soul Society that houses the souls of the damned. If a human being is corrupt enough during their life, their soul will instantly be transformed into a Hollow upon their death. When souls like this are cleansed by a Zanpakuto, rather than being sent to the Rukon district, the Gates of Hell are opened and they are devoured.”

“Devoured…” muses Komamura. “That is an apt word for it. And what happens to them then?”

“Well,” says Tetsuzaemon uncertainty. “The academy doesn’t go into detail. There are only a select few who are made aware of the realms inner workings. But as far as I’m aware, nothing more happens. They’re imprisoned there, for the remainder of their existence.”

“Not merely imprisoned,” corrects Komamura. “They’re tortured, though not in the crude sense most would assume. Hell is a vast open landscape, with improbable physics and an ever changing terrain. Denizens of the realm are allowed to roam free because there is no physical means of escape. The punishment for true sinners is not chains or irons, but madness.”

Tetsuzaemon listens in astonishment to the words of his Captain. No one has ever spoken of Hell like this. It wasn’t a forbidden subject, it was simply an unknown, like the Soul Palace.

“Sinners are slowly robbed of their sanity,” continues Komamura. “They cannot eat and they cannot sleep. They cannot even stop to rest for long due to the Kushanaada, the monstrous guardians of Hell. They mercilessly hunt down sinners as a hollow would humans, but even death at their hands is not a release. Dying in Hell simply results in being reconstructed again with a new body. The cycle only ends when the mind shatters completely, and your body finally turns to dust.”

“It sounds unbearable,” says Tetsuzaemon. “I can’t imagine any crime in the human world being worth that kind of punishment.”

“It’s has nothing to do with their crimes,” responds Komamura. “The Gates of Hell have no concept of human laws. They respond as you said, to souls so laden with darkness that they hollowfy the moment their Chains of Fate break. In a way, you could say it’s a self imposed punishment.”

“Even so, it sounds like an unfair system. With no chance of redemption, that kind of torture just seems cruel.”

At this Komamura unexpectedly laughs.

“Are you actually feeling sorry for the sinners of Hell?”

Tetsuzaemon immediately backtracks. “No, o-of course not! I’m just saying--”

“It’s alright, I was not chastising you. I was just surprised. Not many people express that opinion. Most believe the outcast souls of Hell deserve their treatment.”

“Maybe if they knew what Hell really was…” mutters Tetsuzaemon.

“Indeed,” says Komamura with a slight smile. “But there’s one point you’re mistaken about. There _is_ a chance at redemption. Though it’s very slight, and so painful that most would rather endure the torture.”

“What could possibly be worse than what you’ve described?” asks Tetsuzaemon in disbelief.

“Remorse,” he answers simply. “You have to truly understand the pain you caused as a human, and regret your actions. If you can withstand that knowledge, then the next time you die, you’ll be reborn in the Soul Society. But escaping that realm comes at a price. To ensure you never forget the sins you committed as a man… you will forever bear the appearance of a beast.”

Tetsuzaemon’s eyes widen in shock as the implications of these words sink in. He’d wondered about the truth behind his Captain’s appearance for so long, but out of respect had chosen never to ask. Now, he finally had an answer.

“So,” he says slowly, unsure how to respond, “I assume this all has something to do with our destination?”

“Correct,” answers Komamura, unfazed. “It’s rare for former sinners to possess the ability to become Soul Reapers. But those that do are said to have access to a powerful technique. There is only one person who can pass on the secrets of this ability…”

At these words he stops walking, and Tetsuzaemon realizes they’ve reached their destination. The forest has finally thinned out and revealed the entrance to a massive foreboding cave.

“I’ve come to face the head of the Komamura Clan.”

\---

“Who goes there?”

The voice is deep and rumbling, and seems to fill the whole cavern. It shakes the very earth of the cave, but Komamura remains unshaken.

“It’s been a while… my lord.”

Before him is a massive ancient looking wolf. It appears to be sleeping, but opens a single eye in tired acknowledgement of the Captain.

“Sajin, you have some nerve showing your face to me again. State your purpose.”

Sajin immediately kneels out of respect.

“Great Grandfather, I have come to ask for the secret technique of our clan.”

The wolf bears his fangs and lets out a low menacing growl.

“Don’t make me laugh. You, who turned his back on our clan, a shameless piece of garbage who sought comfort by hiding under a helmet. How much further must you lower yourself.”

“As you can see,” answers Sajin calmly, “I have cast that helmet aside. In these recent decades, the world has slowly changed. It’s become a place where our clan no longer needs to hide their appearance. I feel like it’s a sign of progress. And now, that very world is in grave danger!”

“Preposterous!” snaps the wolf. “The world will never end, and it will never change. All that will shift are the ones in charge of it. We will remain a constant as well, no matter who holds control of the world. The mark of our sins will always make us outcasts.”

“I’m saying that it doesn’t have to be that way!” insists Sajin, now standing from his kneeled position.

“Living in the shadows, isolated from the entire world… it tore at my very soul. As such, I selfishly abandoned the clan and sought refuge elsewhere. Genryuusai-Dono took me in, gave me equal status among the other Soul Reapers, and even allowed me to rise to the rank of Captain. He knew the truth of my past and did not judge me for it. Everything I’ve become is thanks to him.”

Sajin clenches his fists, fury entering his voice. “And that very man was just slaughtered by the Quincy. Not just him, but my comrades, my subordinates… so many people were killed and I was powerless to save them. Never again. I refuse to lose the world I fought my entire life to reach.”

“And you think having this power will change things?” asks the ancient wolf. “It’s as I said, all that would change are the ones in control. If you slaughter this enemy, you’ll just be taking their place. You claim to be defending peace, but all this technique can bring is more loss.”

“What would you have me do?!” shouts Sajin, directing his anger towards the wolf. “Accept the way things are and do nothing? Let the whole world burn because I can’t be bothered to fight? Would you prefer I rejoin our clan and come rot away in this cave like you?!”

“Enough!” roars the wolf, impressively stamping his paw before Sajin. No longer feigning disinterest, he finally gets to his feet and faces his former charge.

“If you insist on defying me… I will personally crush you and toss your carcass aside.”

Sajin, prepared for this from the start, casts both his sword and his armored cloak aside.

“I wouldn’t have it any other other way!”

\---

"Man, everyone's getting serious aren't they?"

Shinji lays on his side, lazily picking at a bowl of fruit. The setting sun casts a warm glow over the Squad 5 barracks. He usually makes a point of coming back in time to enjoy this from his balcony.

"Maybe that means you be should to," says Momo from behind him, making Shinji jump in shock.

"What?!" he stutters, nearly choking as he sits up. "What are you talking about? I'm totally serious!"

"You're eating a pear," she points out.

"Well, even the strongest Captain's gotta take a break!" Momo eyes him suspiciously.

"Since when are you the _strongest?_ "

Shinji throws his arms up in mock outrage.

"Geez, Hinamori! Honestly sometimes you're worse than Hiyori. Did Aizen let you talk to him that way?"

Momo's expression falters, and she shifts her gaze toward the horizon. Shinji immediately regrets the comment.

"Ah, I mean... sorry. I know that's not your favorite subject."

She sighs, taking a plum from the bowl and sitting next to her Captain.

"It's fine. And for the record, I never needed to chastise Captain Aizen. He was just good at his job. Or... so I thought."

Shinji's looks out at the horizon and grabs a peach from the bowl.

"You really liked him, didn't you."

Momo's tone turns serious.

"Captain Aizen was a lair and traitor. Everything he ever did or said was an attempt to deceive us. The person I admired never existed in the first place."

"It's alright, Hinamori. I liked him too."

She turns to look at him in surprise.

"You did?"

"Yeah, he was the best lieutenant I ever had. He was sharp, amicable, and good at his job. He got things done quickly and remembered all my appointments for me. Plus he got along with everyone, which made up for my bad attitude. I didn't trust the guy, but I still liked him."

Momo was astonished. It had been years since she'd heard anyone speak about Captain Aizen this way. It was strangely nostalgic. She knew he was a monster, and that his whole persona had been a facade. But he'd played such a large role in her life, and it was hard to feel any closure over his absence.

"But I still prefer to have you around."

This comment shocks her more than the previous ones.

"Really? Why?"

"Because you're real," Shinji says with a grin. "You get mad at me for slacking off, and call me out when I deserve it. I can't get away with anything with you, which is annoying as hell. But that means you're someone I can trust. That's a million times more valuable than some people-pleaser."

It's strange that these words should make Momo feel better, but they do. Despite her earlier admonishments, she's glad to have this moment.

"Well, I don't know about all that, but I'll do my best to support you."

"Good, I'm going to need your support more than ever, Hinamori."

She looks at him curiously. Shinji's expression is suddenly grave.

"This war isn't going to be like the one with Aizen. We've lost Yamamoto, as well as Ichigo. Unohana and Kuchiki are gone too, and three more of us have been severely weakened. The Captains of the 13 Court Guard Squads have been crippled. We aren't the unstoppable force we used to be. That means you lieutenants are going to have to back us up. We'll need to pull out all the stops if we're to survive what's coming."


	8. If I were Rain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Truths are revealed to both the Ryoka and Ichigo

In the Great Weave Palace, Senjumaru works to design the Ryoka new gear.

Four of them wait patiently to one side while she takes measurements on Renji. Her many artificial arms move rapidly all over his body, each holding a different type threatening device. She stands calm and motionless, save for the notes she takes on a small tablet. Renji is also motionless, mostly out of fear.

The others awkwardly watch this strange demonstration. Senjumaru has offered no introduction of herself, or explanation of her work. She simply asked they stay out of her way until it is their turn. After nearly ten minutes of this, Rukia nervously breaks the silence.

“So… your name is Senjumaru Shutara, right? That’s what I recall the others saying.”

“Mhmm,” she responds, not looking away from her work.

“And you specialize in… fabrics?” Rukia continues.

“In a sense…” she responds, sounding uninterested.

“So how does that--” but Senjumaru cuts her off.

“I work best in silence,” she says coldly. “I would prefer you refrain from speaking to me unless I require information. Find another way to amuse yourselves.”

The others exchange unsure glances, then walk away to examine the rest of the room. Uryu moves to examine some exquisite looking designs hanging on the wall, but a mechanical arm impedes his path.

“Please do not touch any works in progress,” says Senjumaru, annoyed.

He jumps back, looking somewhat affronted. He turns to see Chad, who is about to sit in a rather austere looking chair. The moment he makes contact with the upholstery it comes to life and immediately attempts to strangle him.

Before he can do much more than yell, another arm swoops in and frees him.

“ _Please_ do not engage with any hostile equipment!” she snaps.

Now looking seriously angry, she turns to glare at Orihime. She’s suspiciously close to a strange glowing device. She put her hands up innocently, as if she had no intention of doing anything. The second Senjumaru looks away, Orihime immediately reaches for the object.

“DO NOT--”

A massive explosion shakes the entire palace.

\--

Five minutes later, a supremely irritated Senjumaru has repaired the damage to the room and has fixed her arms around the other Ryoka to keep them from moving.

“Alright, I will answer whatever questions you have for me IF you swear not to touch anything else in my workspace. Agreed?”

The others nod vigorously. Senjumaru sighs, then returns to taking Renji’s measurements.

“I believe you were asking about about my expertise in fabrics, Ms. Kuchiki? Well, as I said, that’s one way of putting it. Textiles themselves are more of a hobby for me. That’s certainly not what earned me a place in the Royal Guard. My main area of interest is in the fabric of reality.”

“Does that mean your contribution to the Soul Society was the Kototsu, which guards the Dangai realm?” asks Uryu, intrigued.

Senjumaru gives him a sharp look that immediately makes him backtrack.

“I-I don’t mean to assume, it’s just, ever since Kirio told us about the criteria for joining the Royal Guard, I’ve been curious about the Kotosu. It’s such an unique creation, I… I figured it had to be invented by someone here.”

Orihime leans towards Chad as best she can in her restraints.

“Do you know what this Koko-tatsu thing he’s talking about is?”

“I think it’s that spirit train that chased us during our first trip to the Soul Society,” says Chad.

Senjumaru’s expression shifts from accusatory to slightly impressed.

“Very astute. Yes, I did create the Kototsu, but it goes much deeper than that. I study everything to do with the phenomenon between the worlds. The Senkaimon and Dangai, the relationship between Humans and Hollows, everything to do with dichotomic forces. This is my true expertise, and it has laid the foundation for many of the Soul Society’s greater inceptions. Kisuke Urahara and Sosuke Aizen may be geniuses, but they both were building on _my_ work.”

At these words she turns away from her measurements and pulls up a screen in thin air showing several different graphs illustrating her point. Renji appears slightly more nervous, as her artificial limbs don’t even slow down.

“During the first Quincy war, Yhwach exterminated hundreds of thousands of souls, human and hollow alike, in a very short period of time. This created a significant spatial unbalance and made the barrier between worlds far more permeable. It was a crude method of entry into the Soul Society, but effective nonetheless. Captain Commander Yamamoto was able to stop Yhwach shortly thereafter, but the damage had been done.”

Senjumaru flicks her wrist to pull up an image of the Kototsu in its early stages.

“Our realities were falling apart faster than we could repair them. My research into the Dangai flow and creation of the Kototsu were instrumental in restoring the equilibrium. My creation exists to track down any irregularities between the realms, and exterminate them.”

“You guys experienced that first hand, didn’t you?” Rukia says with a smirk. Uryu, Chad, and Orihime all nod grimly, remembering their last encounter with the Kototsu. Senjumaru eyes them curiously.

“Yes, I’d heard Ichigo Kurosaki’s group had encountered it during Aizen’s defection. Quite frankly I’m astonished you were only thrown off your original time axis by a few days during the chase.”

“It was more than a chase!” pipes up Orihime. “That train thing nearly blasted us to pieces! If I hadn’t stopped it with my shield, we would have been toast.”

Senjumaru narrows her eyes at her. “You used your barrier against it? You mean the Kototsu actually made contact with your spiritual pressure? And you still survived?”

Orihime looks a little sheepish. “Well, It was a close call. Yoruichi said I was could have been swallowed whole.”

“You certainly should have been,” replies Senjumaru quietly, checking figures on her screen. “Fascinating… I can certainly see why Ichibei was so interested in you people.”

A few minutes of silence follows these words as she remains lost in thought. Uryu eventually gets her attention again by asking a pressing question.

“You said Aizen and Urahara both built on your work. Does that mean what I think it does?”

Senjumaru gives him another appraising look before answering.

“Correct. It was I who first conceived of the Hogyoku.”

This makes everyone jump in surprise, except Renji, who is trying his hardest to stay still.

“It was supposed to be the ultimate culmination of my research. An attempt to not just understand the barrier between realities, but manipulate it. It would have eliminated any form of physical or spiritual limit of the soul. The idea was terrifying… but exhilarating.”

“So all this time,” says Rukia in awe, “you were the one behind the Hogyoku. Aizen waged war with the entire world using your creation.”

“Of course not!” snaps Senjumaru. “I _never_ attempted to create the Hogyoku, I simply came up with the concept. But my research into the idea was immense, and I couldn’t bring myself to destroy all that work. I left it deep in the Soul Society archies where I assumed no would read or indeed understand it.”

At this she sighs deeply, and returns to her work on Renji.

“But at least two people did, perhaps more. If Urahara and Aizen were truly brilliant enough to understand those documents, they would have come up with the concept themselves eventually. But I cannot deny that my work sped them both along. Their sins are partially my responsibility. Had it not been for that boy…”

Senjumaru turns back to the others, her expression grave.

“I hope you all understand the severity of our situation. Your training is about much more than rescuing your friend. If we are to survive Yhwach’s next invasion, we must discover what happened to Ichigo Kurosaki.”

The Ryoka all nod in agreement. Rukia and Orihime exchange a look, and it’s clear that both are wondering the same thing.

What _did_ happen to Ichigo?

\---

“Why do you look like Zangetsu?”

The question hangs in the air between them. The broken Soul Reaper without any power. The powerful Quincy leader staring him down. Ichigo looks so tired. He just wants this all to be over.

Yhwach on the other hand appears completely lost.

“Why do I… wait, _what?_ ”

“You heard me,” responds Ichigo coldly. “You look almost exactly like Zangetsu. Why is that?”

Yhwach continues to look bewildered. This in itself is an unusual occurrence, yet Ichigo’s question is so unexpected, he’s actually off guard.

“Zangetsu? You mean your sword? What on earth makes you think I resemble that?”

“Don’t lie, you worthless bastard!” He snaps, firing up again.

“...You know I can’t here, Ichigo,” says Yhwach calmly. “I honestly have no idea what you’re talking about. But I know that you are not lying either. And I have no intention of keeping you in the dark. Please, explain to me what you are talking about.”

So Ichigo explains, all about his Zanpakuto. When he first appeared to him during Urahara’s training, and again several times during his time as a Soul Reaper. Yhwach listens with fascination, occasionally stopping Ichigo to ask for more details. His responses are short and frustrated, but he still describes everything, from his hollow-self to the nature of his inner world. He’s determined to get an answer from this man.

When Ichigo is finally finished, Yhwach leans back in his chair and sighs.

“This is... uncanny,” he says, looking lost in thought. “I’ve been around a very long time, Ichigo. There are exceedingly few things that escape my vision. It’s rare to find any circumstance that I have not encountered at one time or another. But this right here… what you’ve described… may be an entirely unique phenomenon. It seems I was right to take you in after all.”

“So,” Ichigo asks impatiently, “do you have an answer for me or not?”

Yhwach looks back down at Ichigo, directly into his eyes. Despite everything, Ichigo can’t help noticing a tinge of sadness in his expression.

“Yes,” says Yhwach softly, “I believe I do. But it’s as I said, this is not a situation that has occured before. Much of what I have to say will be speculation. I offered you truth, Ichigo, not conjecture. If you would like to discuss another topic, I would understand.”

Ichigo’s expression is all the answer he needs.

“Very well, then. I may not be a Soul Reaper, but I have done an extensive amount of research into their lore. As far as I understand it, a Zanpakuto is meant to be a physical manifestation of the wielder’s soul. It is a reflection of your power, the part of your soul that generates spiritual pressure.”

“For an ordinary human soul, it would remain an ordinary blade. There would be no spiritual power for the Asauchi, the blank form of a Zanpakuto, to reflect. For a Soul Reaper who has achieved Shikai, it would usually appear as some form of beast. This is allows the wielder to confront their more primal instincts and gain a deeper understanding of how they themselves fight. In order to perform Bankai, the Soul Reaper must be able to manifest the spirit of their Zanpakuto physically alongside them. At this point it would take on a more humanoid form, reflecting this change in their bond. Ideally, it would become a perfect representation of the wielder’s soul.

_But… this is all wrong,_ thinks Ichigo. _Zangetsu has always looked human. Even before I knew the name of my sword, he looked like an ordinary person._

“This is not the experience you have described,” continues Yhwach. “But you have not experienced your Zanpakuto in the ordinary way. You obtained Soul Reaper powers as a human still attached to his body. You learned Shikai while in the midst of hollowfication. Even your Bankai training was done at an accelerated rate. There have of course been other hollowfied Soul Reapers, and even the occasional human with spiritual power. But there has never been an entity quite like you in the world.”

Yhwach flicks his wrist, and a small rotating diagram appears before him. A large translucent sphere hangs in the air, with three smaller spheres inside orbiting each other. The first is orange, the second black, and the third white.

“Ichigo, your identity is made of up several naturally opposing factors. You have the soul of a human, a Hollow, and a Soul Reaper, mixed into one cohesive vessel. Thus, it would make sense that for you, a Zanpakuto would take on the appearance of a human, Hollow, and Soul Reaper.” Ichigo’s remains unfazed.

“Alright, I guess that would sort of make sense. But Zangetsu _doesn’t_ look like—“

Then it hits him.

Old man Zangetsu doesn’t look like some combination of all his powers. But there’s someone else in his soul that does.

“Are you trying to tell me…” says Ichigo in a low voice, “that the other guy in that sideways world… the hollow version of me... ”

“Is the real Zangetsu,” says Yhwach solemnly.

The silence that follows is a heavy one, Yhwach waits patiently as Ichigo absorbs this implications of his words.

It’s insane. Completely ridiculous. Someone would have told him before now. Yoruichi was there throughout all his Bankai training, she would have known. Or would she? The point of the Tenshintai doll was to force Zangetsu to manifest, as if Ichigo could perform Bankai. Wouldn’t she have assumed it to take a humanoid form? Could he even trust her?

Maybe not, but he could trust Shinji. The Vizoreds had always been on his side. But would _they_ have known? All they’d told him during his Hollowfication training was to defeat his inner-hollow. They hadn’t said anything about its relation to his sword. Had they just assumed his Zanpakuto and Hollow would be one being? Didn’t Zangetsu himself say that’s how he existed in the first place?

Ichigo has no frame of reference. He hadn’t been trained in the Academy or been raised on Soul Reaper lore. He only knows what he’s been told by his friends, a source that’s seeming less reliable by the second.

All he knows for sure is that the man before him looks exactly like Zangetsu, but most definitely is not him.

“Even if that’s true…” says Ichigo. “If that guy really is my powers as a Soul Reaper and a Hollow, then who is the other Zangetsu?”

Yhwach doesn’t answer. Instead, he makes another movement of his hand. The three spheres representing Ichigo’s soul are joined by a fourth. It glows bright blue.

There it is. The final straw. They had crossed a line into total nonsense.

“Quincy are not made, Ichigo,” says Yhwach. “They are born. All of the chosen are either touched directly by my power, or descended from those that were.”

“Enough…” growls Ichigo.

“Even without the intervention of Rukia Kuchiki, you were born with an enormous amount of spiritual power. Your resonance with her abilities, your instinctual use of spiritual energy, even you potential to use Fullbring. They were born of my power, passed down through your family heritage.”

“My father wasn’t a fucking _Quincy!_ ” screams Ichigo, his voice cracking on the last word.

“No, he wasn’t,” says Yhwach softly. “But your mother was.”


End file.
